My Friends,
We are entering a new season. A season of fresh start! We are in a divinely appointed time of refreshing and restoring.
Joel 2:25-26 says:
"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame."
I encourage you to stop allowing the pains of the past to keep you from embracing the victories of your future! One of my pastors who has crossed over into glory used to say, "The past is just that—the past."
This is a new day in which you may boldly declare, "Old things have passed away!" (See Isaiah 42:9.)
God Continues to Offer Forgiveness
One of the sweetest words in any language is the word forgiven! God promises that even if your sins are red like crimson, they have been forgiven, washed white as snow, because of the Blood of Christ (see Isaiah 1:18)!
We need to realize that God's forgiveness is not for just a few of our sins or a handful of our mistakes; but each and every betrayal, sin, and offense is covered under the Blood of Christ—every sin and mistake is forgotten and erased!
It makes no difference how twisted and tangled your life has been or is right now. Through the shed Blood of Christ at Calvary, God has made all forgiveness and grace abound toward you!
Heaven and earth may pass away, but Lam 3:22 tells us that "His compassions fail not." Why? Because Christ Jesus already bore our sins and iniquities on the tree!
Isaiah 53:12 says:
"Because He poured out His soul unto death, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."
Each of us need to realize that God Forgets Our Past
What happened when we repented and accepted Jesus as Lord?
Through our repentance, God always makes a way to free us from our past.
In Psalms 103:12, the Bible states that God removes our sins "as far as the east is from the west."
Brothers and sisters in Christ, take this encouragement to heart:
We need to shake off our past failures, reset our focus on the fresh new day, and begin experiencing our future victories!
Remember this great and precious promise from Romans 8:1-2:
"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death."
The Lord has already forgiven you extravagantly and abundantly. His grace has empowered you to leave behind all your past sin and failure. You need to realize that the days of regret, doubt and fear, along with the many missed opportunities and failed relationships are over. Finished are the seasons of backsliding and passivity, the detours of the works of the flesh!
As we believe His Word of forgiveness and set our heart to seek the Lord, we will find overwhelming grace and mercies for each day (see Jeremiah 29:12-13). Never give up— never give in again to a mindset of guilt and failure (see Hebrews 10:35). You were created by Father God to carry His glory and presence into a lost and dying world. He has confidence in you (see Deuteronomy 28:13). Remember, you are His choice (Ephesians 2:10), chosen for "such a time as this" (see Esther 4:14).
God has Redeemed and continues redeeming Your Wounds
It is by the stripes of Jesus Christ that we are healed (see Isaiah 53:5)! Take comfort in this:
"Any wounds that you have suffered will become significant avenues of healing for others. When we are healed from our wounds, then we receive the needed grace for healing others!"
We bring Christ's healing and comfort to others in the areas in which we personally have been afflicted (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
God Is Bringing Breakthrough
God is even now releasing divine favor to us for accomplishing great exploits for His glory. In Psalms 84:11, we learn how He lavishes His blessings of grace and glory:
"For the LORD God is our sun and our shield. He gives us grace and glory. The LORD will withhold no good thing from those who do what is right."
Even if you have failed in previous days, months or even years, please do not lose heart! God is saying, "Try again!" It is time to regroup and try again, knowing that failure is not In His purposes, plan and destiny for your life (Read Jeremiah 29:11).
The Lord is opening doors that were closed to you previously. He is granting breakthrough.
I pray that your entire family will experience the overwhelming love and favor of God as you leave the past behind and boldly take hold of the blessings and His promises to fulfill your God-given destiny! In Jesus' Name.
Many Blessins,
Walter Beatty
